Chapter 8

DIDEROT'S CLOSING YEARS.

Diderot's meditation on life and death 232 Age overtakes him on his return from Russia 233 Writes his life of Seneca 235 Its quality 236 Interest to Diderot of Seneca's career 237 Strange digression in the Essay 239 Reason for Diderot's anger against Rousseau 240 His usual magnanimity 241 Diderot's relations with Voltaire 244 Naigeon 246 Romilly's account of Diderot 247 Palissot and the conservative writers 249 The ecclesiastical champions of the old system 251 The precursors gradually disappearing 253 Galiani 254 Beaumarchais's _Mariage de Figaro_ 255 Diderot's famous couplet 256 His fellow-townsmen at Langres 257 Last days 258